וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֨נּוּ֙ בְּיֹ֣ום פִּשְׁעֹ֔ו וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּיֹ֖ום שׁוּבֹ֣ו מֵֽרִשְׁעֹ֑ו וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְיֹ֥ות בָּ֖הּ בְּיֹ֥ום חֲטֹאתֹֽו׃
“And you, son of man, say to the sons of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not stumble because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; and the righteous shall not be able to live by it in the day that he sins.’
Morphology
- וְאַתָּה (ve-atah) – Root: אתה (atah); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Marks transition to another divine instruction directed to the prophet Ezekiel.
- בֶן־ (ben) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “son of”; Notes: Construct phrase linking to “man.”
- אָדָם (adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Title for Ezekiel, emphasizing human frailty under divine command.
- אֱמֹר (emor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “say”; Notes: Command to proclaim YHWH’s message to the people.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Directs speech toward a specific group—the prophet’s people.
- בְּנֵי־ (benei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Refers collectively to the descendants or people belonging to a group.
- עַמְּךָ (ʿammekha) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your people”; Notes: Denotes the prophet’s fellow Israelites.
- צִדְקַת (tsidqat) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the righteousness of”; Notes: Refers to moral integrity or just conduct.
- הַצַּדִּיק (ha-tsaddiq) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the righteous”; Notes: Denotes a person whose conduct aligns with divine standards.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Expresses negation of the expected outcome—righteousness will not save in all circumstances.
- תַצִּילֶנּוּ (tatsilennu) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall deliver him”; Notes: Causative—his righteousness will not cause his deliverance.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Temporal phrase marking a specific time of testing or judgment.
- פִּשְׁעֹו (pisho) – Root: פשׁע (pashaʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his transgression”; Notes: Refers to deliberate rebellion or moral failure.
- וְרִשְׁעַת (ve-rishʿat) – Root: רשע (rashaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “and the wickedness of”; Notes: Introduces a contrast to the prior clause about righteousness.
- הָרָשָׁע (ha-rashaʿ) – Root: רשע (rashaʿ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the wicked”; Notes: Refers to one condemned by sin.
- לֹא־יִכָּשֶׁל (lo-yikkashel) – Root: כשׁל (kashal); Form: Negative particle לֹא + Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall not stumble”; Notes: Indicates that his former wickedness will not bring him down once he repents.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to his past wickedness—he will not be ensnared by it upon repentance.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Temporal clause emphasizing divine justice at a particular moment.
- שׁוּבֹו (shuvo) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Infinitive construct + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “of his turning / when he turns”; Notes: Denotes repentance from wickedness.
- מֵרִשְׁעֹו (me-risho) – Root: רשע (rashaʿ); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from his wickedness”; Notes: Specifies what he turns away from—his previous evil conduct.
- וְצַדִּיק (ve-tsaddiq) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the righteous”; Notes: Shifts focus back to the fate of the righteous person.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies expected security from righteousness when sin occurs.
- יוּכַל (yukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be able”; Notes: Denotes inability to rely on past righteousness for life.
- לִחְיֹות (liḥyot) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to live”; Notes: Refers to spiritual or physical survival under divine judgment.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “by it”; Notes: Refers to his righteousness—his prior virtue will not preserve him after sin.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Indicates the precise moment of moral or spiritual failure.
- חֲטֹאתֹו (ḥatoto) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his sin”; Notes: Refers to a specific act of wrongdoing nullifying his prior righteousness.